RATIONALE: Health education programs and screening methods, such as clinical breast examination and examination of the cervix, may help reduce the number of women who develop breastcancer and cervical cancer.

PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying the early detection of breastcancer and cervical cancer in women in India.

Effectiveness of well planned health education programs and low-cost screening methods (e.g., clinical breast exam and visual inspection of the cervix) in reducing the incidence of and mortality due to breast and cervical cancer [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

To investigate the effectiveness of well planned health education programs (HEP) and low-cost screening methods (e.g., clinical breast examination [CBE] and visual inspection of the cervix painted with 4% acetic acid [VIA]) in down-staging and reducing the incidence of and mortality due to breast and cervical cancer.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

Arm I (intervention): Participants undergo intervention comprising health education programs (HEP), clinical breast examination (CBE), and visual inspection of the cervix painted with 4% acetic acid (VIA) every 2 years for up to 8 years. Participants also undergo active surveillance over 8 years.

Resides in 1 of 20 geographically defined clusters within the slums of Mumbai, India

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Not specified

Contacts and Locations

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00632047